Ethnic Groups
| Ethnic Composition in Burma * Estimates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ethnic group or race | percent | |||
| Bamar | 68% | |||
| Shan | 9% | |||
| Kayin | 7% | |||
| Other groups | 4.5% | |||
| Rakhine | 3.5% | |||
| Chinese | 2.5% | |||
| Mon | 2% | |||
| Kachin | 1.5% | |||
| Indians | 1.25% | |||
| Kayah | 0.75% | |||
The Burmese government identifies eight major national ethnic races (which comprise 135 "distinct" ethnic groups), which include the Bamar (68%), Shan (9%), Kayin (7%), Rakhine (4%), Mon (2%), Kayah, and Kachin. However, the government classification system is flawed, because it groups ethnic groups under ethnic races by geography, rather than by linguistic or genetic similarity (e.g. the Kokang are under the Shan ethnic race, although they are ethnic Chinese). Unrecognised ethnic groups include Burmese Indians and Burmese Chinese, who form 2% and 3% of the population respectively. The remaining 5% of the population belong to small ethnic groups such as the remnants of the Anglo-Burmese and Anglo-Indian communities, as well as the Lisu, Rawang, Naga, Padaung, Moken, and many minorities across Shan State.
Read more about this topic: Demographics Of Burma
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